Carroll-Reeves House on the Trout River, Carleton

     I was by this old house a few weeks ago - it's located on the shores of Trout River, at 464 Trout River Road (Rte. 137) between Rte. 12, Roxbury and Rte. 2, Carleton.

    Meacham's 1880 Atlas of Prince Edward Island shows George Carroll living here with 44 acres. The map shows the property to the southeast of him was owned by Cyprian Aresnault who had a "ship yard" down at the River very close to the Carroll-Arsenault property line.
    Cumins 1928 Atlas of Prince Edward Island shows P.P. Reeves living here with his wife Annie and children: Hariet, Vera, Thomas, Russell and Sterling.  He also had 44 acres.
     Today the property is owned by a farming corporation .

     The house is a "center dormer" style house, likely built in the 1880's - Meacham's Atlas shows a house in this location - possibly this one.

     Below is a real estate sign nailed to the power pole - it's an old one as the Oulton's got out of the business a couple of years ago.

Elite Seed Farm, former Ashley Homestead, Fox Island

     Recently I was over to Fox Island in western Prince Edward Island.  It's located at 269 Fox Island Rd., off Rte. 12, between Alberton and Cascumpec.  
     Cumin's 1928 Atlas of Prince Edward Island shows the Island belonging to Lowden Ashley with 182-acres. Lowden was married to Susan Lewis and had the following children: Rhodes, John, Gladys, Alvin, Elmer, Freda, Fred and Harold.  
     Lowden *Loudy* Huestis Ashley (1877-1953), son of John Butcher Ashley and Sarah Stapley Wallace married Susan *Susie* Lewis (1878-1947) in December 1898.  They lived on the part of the Ashley farm and later purchased the west end of Fox Island from his uncle, Fred Wallace.  Loudy and Susie then moved to Fox Island where they raised their family of eight.  Loudy was a farm and fox rancher.  Info cf. http://www.ancestraltrails.ca/

     When I worked at Maplewood Manor, Alberton, in the summers of 1981-82, Gladys (Ashley) Bonyman was a resident - she was in her 80's.  She often told us about growing up on Fox Island and recalled Mik'maq families coming back to the shores of the Island to spend the summers.  One of her vivid memories was seeing a native woman giving birth.
     See 2008 Guardian newspaper article below telling history of the seed farm which was established in 1962.

 Below: Front of house, facing Northeast.
The house is a "Fox House" style home, likely built just before WWI.

     Below: northeast view from front of house looking towards Dock River and Alberton.

Below: Southeast side of house.

 Below is a barn standing out by itself as you drive up to the property.

     Below is an article from the Guardian newspaper six years ago about the Elite Seed Farm.

- Elite seed farm topic at potato board meeting -

The Guardian. By Nancy Willis. Published on February 27, 2008

P.E.I. Potato Board holds first of four Islandwide annual meetings in Rollo Bay

ROLLO BAY - The P.E.I. Potato Board held the first of its four Islandwide annual meetings here Tuesday, where the future of the Fox Island Elite Seed Farm was of key interest.
            This industry owned seed farm has been a fundamental part of the Prince Edward Island potato world for more than half a century.
            Unlike similar organizations that are nationally funded in the United States, or provincially backed in New Brunswick, the P.E.I. Potato Board is supported completely by local Island growers.
            This year, it cost those producers $217,000 to keep it running and the board decided it was time to take it to the farmers and let them decide what to do with it.
            For decades, the elite seed farm was an international showplace for visitors, and throughout its lifetime it has ensured commercial Island growers that a local source of clean seed would be available to them.
            Now dramatic changes in the potato world, a decrease in the numbers of varieties allowed to be grown there and increased private ownership of seed worldwide have all contributed to the farm not making a profit for the last few decades.  "A variety of factors are also at play, including lower production acreage than in the past; the implication of various regulatory scenarios; and lower virus levels in seed now, which translate into less demand for early generated seed,'' said staff member Mary Kay Sonier.
            Although the farmers were presented with a variety of alternatives, no one was interested in getting rid of it. A few of the many options included maintaining the status quo; selling the property and getting out of early seed production, or continuing with nuclear seed production and trying to expand the varieties they are able to grow.
            Keeping the farm going and maintaining it as a safety net for the industry future was clearly the chosen path. All seemed to agree that the percentage of their dues that went to keeping it running was relatively small, and that keeping it was to everyone's benefit.
            "We now need to know what direction the growers would like to take because there is much to be done out there, and that will depend on the direction we choose,'' said board chairman Kevin MacIsaac.
            "Well, I don't see anyone jumping up and down to say sell her and make cottage lots,'' said Eastern Kings farmer Boyd Rose. He suggested looking at opening up the variety restrictions and lowering the price of the seed they sell so it is more competitive with commercially available product.
            This and a raft of other topics and issues will be discussed at meetings in Mill River Thursday afternoon, and Summerside Thursday night.

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Below is the map from Meacham's 1880 Atlas of PEI showing Fox Island.

Murray River Train Station - Demolished today

     Lately my blog is becoming a register of demolished buildings!  Today the 110-year-old  Murray River Train Station was demolished.

Photos cf. CBC PEI's website post today...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/murray-river-station-demolished-today-1.2698787

Brown Sisters House, New Glasgow - Demolished

     One day last week we saw this house and lot, located on the northwest side of the bridge in New Glasgow, being cleared of the trees and brambles that have grown up over the past few years and wondered what was going on.  Well, a trip through New Glasgow yesterday told the story, it was demolished.
     Locally, this place was known as the Brown Sister's summer home - they lived in town and came out to New Glasgow for the summers.  Their 1.2 -acre property goes down to the water / Clyde River, across from New Glasgow Lobster Suppers.
     The house was sold sometime around 2009 but wasn't used much - it was for sale again recently.

The photo below was taken in March 2003

The Photo below was taken in May 2003

The photos below were taken in March 2007

The following photo was taken on February 18, 2012.

Burke Gardens, Southport (Stratford)

     We often hear references to local markets and farmers markets in our history books, however, we never hear much about those who supplied goods and products to those markets - we always assume they were farmers.  The other evening "The Burke Gardens" was brought to my attention.  I did a bit of research and found this information from, A History of Southport, published in 1982 and the Historic Places website.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The Burke Gardens

            Approximately 1880, James and Mary Burke of Alexander moved to Southport, to the home formerly owned by James’ brother Walter Burke.  They had four children at the time and eight more were born after that.  The youngest son, Ernest, is still living in Southport.  James was a marker gardener (as listed in the Atlas of 1880) who took his produce to the Market in Charlottetown.  When he died in 1895, his son Arthur, at the age of 16, took over the business and the property.  He continued on with it until 1930. Ernest started going to the Market with his brother in 1907, at the age of 15.  He married Della P. Clark in 1919, and built a home on the property next to Arthur’s, formerly owned by a Walter Ogar.  He continued in the market-garden business with his brother until 1930 and then branched out on his own that spring.  Ernest and Della took the produce and flowers to market twice a week until 1942.  After that, until 1965, the seedlings that were grown in the green house each spring were sold from the house in Southport and the vegetables were taken to the stores.  Della died March 29, 1971 and Ernest has continued to live in the homestead, growing flowers and vegetables for his own use.

Above cf. A History of Southport and District: including Rosebank, Keppoch and Kinlock.  Page 22 & 23.

Published by the History Committee of the Southport Women’s Institute in 1982. Edited by Jim Hornby.

 

Image cf. http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/image-image.aspx?id=15212#i3

The Burke House, 2 Glencove Drive

            There is no record of when this house was built but when Dr. Lantz bought it and had it renovated about seven layers of paper were stripped from the walls.  Walter Burke was a brother of James Burke and he must have passed the property to James; in the 1880 Atlas the name James Burke, gardener, is recorded.  The house passed to Arthur Burke, and he and his wife Beatrice lived there for many years.  The property now is in the possession of Eugene MacDonald.

Info cf. A History of Southport, Page 69

Image and info below cf. 

http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/image-image.aspx?id=15212#i3

     This Maritime Vernacular style house is valued for its historical association with the early history of Stratford.  Constructed in 1840, it was the site of Glen Stewart Farm which was established by the Burke family. For a few years in the 1870s, the house was occupied by Robert (1811-1878) and Augusta May (1812-1875). The Mays had emigrated from England in 1862. Robert May died in England, while the rest of the family, Augusta and her daughters, Harriet (d. 1918) and Emma (d. 1901), are interred in the Anglican cemetery in Stratford. The noted PEI architect, William Critchlow Harris and his brother, the painter, Robert Harris are known to have visited the house when the Mays lived there. W.C. Harris notes in his diary that in 1872 he and his sister, Sarah, crossed the harbour from Charlottetown to Southport (now part of Stratford) on board the steamer "Ora" to visit the Mays. While there, they played croquet, had a "bountiful meal", and sang songs into the twilight hours. By 1880, Meacham's Atlas of PEI shows William Burke (1833-1902) as then residing on the property. Shortly after this time, Glen Stewart Farm became the property of William's brother, James Burke (1847-1895) and his wife Mary (Burhoe) Burke. They established a market garden on the farm which grew produce to sell in Charlottetown's Market which was located in Queen Square on the site of the current Confederation Centre of the Arts. When James passed away in 1895, his son, Arthur, who was then only sixteen, took over the business. He continued to operate the market garden until 1930. In the 1940s, the house was purchased by Dr. J.P. Lantz. He was a graduate of McGill's medical school, but was known on PEI for his award winning Aberdeen Angus and Jersey cattle. The current owners purchased the house in 1964. During renovations, they discovered that copies of the "London Times" from the 1840s had been applied to the original walls as a form of insulation. Although renovated over the years, the house retains elements of its original design and has many important historical associations.

Station Agents House - 1904

     Here's an article about the Lower Freetown Station Agents house, moved to Augustine Cove in the early 1990's.  Today it is a summer rental property - http://www.homeaway.ca/cottage-rental/p388753vb
     Many communities on the Island with train stations had Station Agents homes built from this same plan. 

 Below: Page from PEI Heritage Designs Book.

 Below: Copy of original drawings from PEIMHF.

Here's the Station Agents House in Hunter River.

 Below: cf. CIHB (Canadian Inventory of Heritage Buildings) 1974

Below: Hunter River Postcard - Station Agents House on left - 1909

Below: Hunter River Postcard - Station Agents House on left 1926

Directory of P.E.I. Craftsmen, Tradespeople & Merchants

Therlesmith Press - Copyright 2014

     The following is a list of businesses I've worked with over the past 20 years on a variety of heritage and restoration projects.
     I started this draft list in 2005 and just now getting it published.  
     I will be updating the list continually.  If you have any questions please call me at 1-(902) 964-3131.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

ANTIQUE DEALERS

Coach House Antiques, Victoria-by-the-Sea, PEI

B.C. Antiques, New Annan

Arsenault Brothers, Richmond

Backroad Folkart, Lauretta, PEI Ph: (902) 853-3644.  kerras99@hotmail.com

ANTIQUE REFINISHING

McAskill’s Woodworking, Charlottetown, PEI

ART

Gallery 18, New London, PEI

Details Past and Present, Charlottetown, PEI
Halls Hollow, Watermark Theatre, North Rustico

BOOKS, USED

Bookman, Charlottetown, PEI

BASKET WEAVERS

Basket Weavers of P.E.I., Wellington. Ph: (902) 854-3063

BUGGY & WAGON RESTORERS

Gary “Cat” Gaudet, Union Road (formerly Smith Road) Miminegash, Ph: (902) 882-3342

COFFIN MAKERS

?, PEI

CONTRACTORS

Chappell Construction, Larry Chappell, Charlottetown, PEI

Greenfield Construction, Ross MacMillan, Clyde River, PEI

Maple Isle Homes, Rob Hebert, Stratford, PEI

Billy Ramsay, Brookfield, PEI

COSTUMES, PEI PERIOD

Stitches in Time, Arnold G. Smith, Pleasant Valley, PEI (902) 628-3131.  ags@pei.aibn.com

CURTAIN MAKERS

Arnold G. Smith, Pleasant Valley, PEI.  Ph: 902-628-3131

Donna Steele, Stratford, PEI

DOORS ( wood )

R.W. Woodworking, Hunter River, PEI. Ph: 902-964-3135

Borden Myers, Charlottetown, PEI

DESIGNERS, HERITAGE

Carter W. Jeffery, Unlimited Drafting. Hunter River, PEI.  Ph: 902-964-3131
Arnold G. Smith, Heritage Designs, Hunter River, PEI. Ph: 902-628-3131
Tara Maloney, Churchill Design, Charlottetown, PEI. Ph: (902) 370-2320

FABRIC, HISTORIC

Tara Maloney, Churchill Design, Charlottetown, PEI. Ph: (902) 370-2320

Guardian Drugs, O’Leary, PEI
Arnold Smith, Stitches in Time, Pleasant Valley, PEI.  Ph: (902) 628-3131

FLOORING ( products / installers )

Markan, Charlottetown, PEI         

Royalty Hardwoods, Poole’s Corner

Ron Lanigan Hardwood Floors, Murray River

Loyalist Marble and Tile, Winsloe, PEI

FURNITURE, NEW

R.W. Woodworking & Custom Milling, Hunter River, PEI.  Ph: (902) 964-3135

McAskills, Parkdale/Charlottetown
Boyd MacKenzie, Bay Fortune, PEI.

FURNITURE, REFINISHING

McAskills, Charlottetown

FURNITURE, REPRODCUTION

Backroad Folkart, Lauretta. Kerras Jeffery. Ph: (902) 853-3644  kerras99@hotmail.com

GOVERNMENT & ASSOCIATIONS

Canadian Wood Council, Ottawa, ON

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Charlottetown, PEI

Heritage Canada, Ottawa, ON

Parks Canada, Charlottetown, PEI

PEI Museum & Heritage Foundation, Charlottetown, PEI
Office of Energy Efficiency - PEI Govt

GENERAL CONTRACTORS

Parker Perry, Parker Developments, Cymbria, PEI.  Ph: (902) 394-6669
Phillip Gallant, Stanley Bridge, PEI.  Ph: (902) 439-0154.

Ross MacMillan, Green leaf Construction, Clyde River, PEI.  Ph: (902) 

Kenny Pineau, North Rustico

Larry Chappell, Charlottetown

Marshall MacPherson, Stratford
Billy Ramsay, Brookfield, PEI.
Ricky Ellis, West Point.  (specializing in church repairs)

GINGERBREAD TRIMS / SCREEN DOORS

Kerras Jeffery Woodworking / Backroad Folkart, Lauretta, PEI.  Ph: (902) 853-3644.

Chandler Brothers, Charlottetown

HERITAGE CONSULTANTS

Barry King

Fred Horne
Faye Pound
Paula Kenny

Judy K. MacDonald

Prince Edward Island Heritage Design

Arnold G. Smith

Reg Porter

Charlotte Stewart

Tara Maloney 
Fr. Albin Arsenault

HOME INSPECTIONS

Pillar to Post, Charlottetown, PEI

INTERIOR SPECIALTY PAINTERS

Doug Mills, Charlottetown, 

Alison Drake, Charlottetown

EXTERIOR SPECIALTY PAINTERS

Stevenson Bros., Emyvale, PEI
Danny O’Halloran, Covehead, 672-3860
Coast to Coast Painting, Henry Stevenson 675-4191 

INTERIOR DESIGNERS

Churchill Design, Charlottetown, PEI.

Melvin Roberts, Charlottetown, PEI

IRONWORKS / BLACKSMITH

Malpeque Ironworks, New Annan, PEI

           

PLUMBING & ELECTRICAL

Toombs Plumbing & Heating (reconditioned rads), North Rustico, PEI

Rackham Electrical, Wheatley River, PEI

P.E.I. MAPS

Gallery 18.  Aubrey Bell, New London, PEI
P.E.I. Heritage Foundation, 2 Kent St., Charlottetown

P.E.I. MUSEUMS

Alberton Museum

Canadian Potato Museum, O'Leary

Green Park, Porthill

Eptek Center, Summerside

Farmers Bank of Rustico & Doucet House, Rustico

Beaconsfield, Charlottetown

Orwell Corner

Roma Settlement, Brudenell

Elmira Train Station
Museum, Montague

MOULDINGS, TRIMS, WOODWORKERS

Wood Millers, Clyde River, PEI – see your local building supplier

Chandler Bros., Charlottetown, PEI

R.W. Woodworking, Wheatley River, PEI

McAskills Woodworking, Charlottetown, PEI

Kerras Jeffery @ Backroad Folkart, Lauretta, PEI

QUILTS & QUILTMAKERS

The Quilt Gallery, O’Leary, PEI    Attn: Adrienne MacDonald

RUG HOOKERS

Abram's Village.

SALVAGED / BUDGET MATERIALS

Renovators Resources, Halifax, NS

The Re-Store, Charlottetown

Backroad Folkart, Lauretta-Alma, PEI
Dwight Parkman, Hunter River

SAWMILLS

Bett’s Mill, Glenwood, PEI

Leonce Arsenault Sawmill, St. Chrysostome, PEI

Royalty Hardwoods, Poole’s Corner, PEI

WOLLEN MILLS

MacAuslands Woolen Mill, Bloomfield

Wooly Wears

Mini Mills

SALVAGED MATERIALS

Backroad Folkart, Lauretta.  Ph: (902) 853-3644

Renovators Resources, Halifax

STAIRS

Ravenwood Stairways, Bloomfield, PEI
Scott Vesey

STONE MASON

West Masonry: Danny West, New Haven, PEI

MBS Construction & Restoration, York Point, PEI

Brian Doucette, Cymbria, PEI

Jodi Harper, Montrose

TIMBER FRAME HOMES & BUILDINGS

 Halifax, NS

TOOLS

Lee Valley Tools, Halifax, NS

TUB REFINISHING

Mend-A-Bath International (Canada). Marlowe Wood, Freetown, PEI  
     Ph: (902) 315-2284  www.mendabath.ca  Email: sales@tubbycanada.com

WINDOWS ( wood )

Borden Myers Woodworking, Charlottetown, PEI

R.W. Woodworking, Hunter River, PEI

WOOD TURNERS

Gaudreau’s Fine Woodworking

Dave Turner, North Winsloe, PEI

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Immaculate Conception Church, Palmer Road

     I was recently by this incredible historic church in rural Prince Edward Island.  It's the largest wooden church on the Island and seats 1,000 people.  
     Here are a few photos of the exterior.
     Father Albin Arsenault has recently become Parish Priest here, having moved from St. John the Baptist Parish Church, Miscouche where he'd been priest since 2003.

     The following information about this church comes from the book, "A Faith Works" by Rev. Art O'Shea.

"Fire in 1890 completely destroyed the first church but three years later the present handsome and spacious church opened its doors.  Seating 1,000, it is the largest wooden church in the diocese.  Stained glass windows of recent years have added to its beauty."

     The following information comes the Historic Places website:

http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=1894

"The church is a fine example of the French Gothic style of architecture in PEI and is significant as a symbol and centre of the community's religious life. It was built in the late Victorian period (1891-1893) by Dunstan Martin who also constructed a similar church at Miscouche, PEI. The architect was Francois-Xavier Edouard Meloche of Montreal, PQ. It is also believed that Meloche's studio produced the interior paintings of the Stations of the Cross. A statue of the Virgin was placed in the exterior shorter front tower in 1893. The ornate high altar was created by Bernard Creamer of Souris, PEI and installed in 1903."

     Below is an old aerial view of the church - not sure if its hand-tinted, AND I don't have a source reference for the image - sorry!